A microelectronic device with analog components may have an n-type buried layer (NBL) doped with antimony (Sb). Antimony is commonly a preferred dopant for the NBL due to its low diffusion coefficient; doping with antimony enables high dopant density (and hence low sheet resistance for the NBL) without diffusing into other components. The NBL is commonly formed by starting with a p-type silicon substrate, and growing a thick layer of thermal oxide, a few hundred nanometers thick, on the top surface of the substrate. A photoresist mask is patterned over the thick oxide, exposing the area for the NBL. The thick oxide is etched away in the area for the NBL, exposing the silicon, after which the photoresist mask is removed. Antimony is implanted into the silicon, with a high dose, for example over 1×1015 cm−2, to provide a desired low sheet resistance. The thick thermal oxide blocks the antimony from the substrate outside of the NBL area. Thick oxide is needed to block the antimony, because photoresist would harden during the implant at such a high dose, making it difficult to remove without damaging the exposed silicon surface in the NBL area. The thick oxide is left in place while additional thermal oxide, typically several hundred angstroms, is grown on the substrate, usually during a temperature ramp preceding an anneal/drive step. The additional thermal oxide is needed to reduce antimony escape during the anneal/drive. Antimony escape can undesirably reduce the dopant density in the NBL and might undesirably dope areas outside the NBL. Growing the additional thermal oxide with the thick oxide in place results in a recess, typically greater than 10 nanometers deep, in the top surface of the substrate, because the silicon in the implanted area is consumed by the oxide growth, while the silicon under the thick oxide is consumed at a much lower rate. The anneal/drive step anneals the substrate, and activates and diffuses the antimony deeper into the substrate, to form a part of the NBL. The oxide is subsequently removed from the top surface of the substrate, leaving the silicon recess over the NBL area. A p-type silicon epitaxial layer is grown on the substrate, typically three microns to ten microns thick. Antimony diffuses upward into the epitaxial layer as it is grown, but does not extend to the top surface of the epitaxial layer. The antimony in the substrate and in the epitaxial layer provide the NBL. The silicon recess is replicated in the top surface of the epitaxial layer. The silicon recess can reduce process latitude during subsequent formation of components in, or over, the epitaxial layer. In some cases, it may be impractical or too costly to fabricate some components because of the silicon recess.